"Why?" she asked quietly.

"Don't you see? If he had seen Weeks early enough they might have upset
me. He must be an awful fool."

Katherine followed him to the elevator with a peculiar expression. She
wondered why her father's remark annoyed her.



Before leaving Manchester Mr. McNally wired to the Tillman City Finance
Committee an invitation to dine at the Hotel Tremain at 7.45 P.M. During
the journey he matured his plan of campaign.

This was not likely to be more than mildly exciting, for twenty years of
political and financial juggling had fitted Mr. McNally for delicate work.
In his connection with various corporations he had learned the art of
subduing insubordinate legislatures without friction, if not without
expense, and naturally the present task offered few difficulties. That was
why, after an hour or so of thought, he straightened up in his seat,
bought a paper, and read it with interest, from the foreign news to the
foot-ball prospects. Mr. McNally's tastes were cosmopolitan, and now that
his method was determined he dismissed M. & T. stock from his mind. He
knew Tillman City, and more to the point, he knew Michael Blaney, Chairman
of the Council Finance Committee. Finesse would not be needed, subtlety
would be lost, with Blaney, and so Mr. McNally was prepared to talk
bluntly. And on occasion Mr. McNally could be terseness itself.

On his arrival he took a cab for the hotel. The Committee were on hand to
meet him, and Blaney made him acquainted with the others.